HIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR I CONTEMPLATED MY FUTURE—I KNEW THAT I wanted to enter a graduate program in English, eventually earning my Ph.D. The question that arose was Where do I want to apply? Should I attend an Adventist institution or try something new? With the exception of home schooling until my freshman year of high school, I had been through the Adventist educational system with satisfactory results, especially in my undergraduate studies. There I had built a network of friends with similar interests, beliefs, and lifestyles. It was tempting, I admit, to either stay on at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, or transfer to La Sierra University in Riverside, California, for a master’s degree. Somehow, though, those options just didn’t feel quite right.
I was more than a little nervous about attending a “secular” institution, having always believed that drugs and alcohol abounded. Did I want to expose myself to that? And yet, I thought, my preconceptions might be wrong. I applied to four state universities, hoping for the best. I submitted my fate to God and told Him that if He wanted me at Andrews University, I would go, but if I could get into a funded program, I would trust Him completely. My answer came in the spring of 2009, starting with an acceptance letter in March and a second in April disclosing a full scholarship and teaching assistantship at Western Michigan University. I arrived on campus in August, not knowing what to expect. Four months later, I realize that God wanted me here.
The notions I had espoused toward a state school have all unraveled. In the past semester I have learned a lot about life at a non-Adventist institution:
1. No one harassed me at social gatherings because I didn’t drink alcohol. I have several non-Adventist colleagues who don’t drink either. I’ve realized that a value judgment I placed over an institution does not fit everyone. Some have asked me why, and I explained. Most people just respect my decision and leave it alone.
2. My religious background has been recognized as a valuable source of knowledge. One of my professors has asked me to help her with some topical research. I’ve had interesting discussions with a colleague who is Lutheran, one who is Muslim, and others who do not claim any particular religion. My own worldview has expanded with these rich discussions.
3. Vegetarians thrive at academic institutions! Several of my colleagues do not eat meat, and they follow a healthful lifestyle, similar to the one I’ve been raised to emulate. I’ve never had to pick around a ham sandwich or ask for a different entrée.
4. The adage “You find what you’re looking for” rings true. If I was seeking different lifestyle choices, I would have adopted them. Instead, I looked for interesting, friendly, intelligent individuals to befriend, and I have found them.
5. Sometimes, witnessing means not saying a word about Christ. I prayed that I would be a blessing to my students, and the end-of-semester reflection they handed in demonstrated that I did make a difference to many of them. I wanted to show them Christ’s love, but not force it down their throats. I hope they saw Christ through me.
It hasn’t always been easy living away from the close-knit community I had developed in college. Thankfully, though, God has guided all my steps and shown that sometimes, in order to reach the world, we must dwell in it for now.
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Bonnie McLean is in her first year of post graduate studies in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This article was published January 21, 2010.
